The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has allocated lands to members of the FCT Council of Traditional Rulers and waived all statutory fees for their land titles.
The ceremony, held in Abuja on Friday, saw Wike announce the fee waiver, which he said was in line with directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We cannot deny that there are indigenous people who were here before the creation of the FCT. The President said we must extend a hand of fellowship to you. We must give honour to whom honour is due. If those who make peace cannot be appreciated with land, who should be?” Wike said.
The minister commended the traditional rulers for their role in ensuring what he described as the “most peaceful” Area Council elections in the territory’s history.
To further support their work, Wike pledged to provide utility vehicles to all traditional rulers in the FCT “so that you can carry out your duties as expected.”
He also highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects in satellite towns, including the dualization of the Airport-Kuje Road, the Bwari-Zuba link road, developments in Apo/Karshi and Basan Jiwa, and the completion of the Arab Road network.
On the fee waiver, Wike noted that it would be unfair to require traditional rulers to raise large sums to pay for land they have inhabited for generations.
“The President has instructed me to waive the payment of statutory fees. We cannot give you the task of looking for money to pay,” he said.
The Ona of Abaji and Chairman of the Council, Adamu Yunusa, expressed gratitude to the President and the minister, promising continued support from traditional institutions for government policies.
The decision comes amid ongoing collaboration between the federal government and traditional institutions, which play key roles in local governance and community leadership. Over the years, FCT traditional rulers have acted as intermediaries between government authorities and residents, helping maintain order during elections and in land administration.
